Air pump and smog equipment

[Mud Thrasher]

On my new 86 wag the air pump is missing(or smog pump). Do I need this to pass inspection or can I take it out all together? This would help eliminate some of the hoses under the hood.

[Ridgbak]

--MT, here in Tucson I HAD to have it to pass inspection. This, despite the fact that my numbers were low enough to pass w/out it. ;-(
--So I put it on, passed, and then at the inspection station, opened the hood and cut off the fan belt.
--I've had 3 of those pesky air pumps lock up on me in the past.

[Mud Thrasher]

For inspections over here they dont even look under the hood. On my 99 F-150 they didnt even sniff it. With the air bypass valve and all it clutters the underhood too much for me. I'm used to the bare underhood of my 78 cherry.

[LAZLOI7]

I don't have any of that smog pump and all that good stuff... but that didn't seem to bother the inspection station people... equipment inspection results... pass. Emissions results... fail.

[nograin]

Do you need it to pass visual depends on where you live.

Do you need it to pass emmissions is another questions. Maybe. The air pump dilutes the exhuast and supposed to add additional oxygen to help any unburned hydrocarbons (gasoline) burn up. Thats meant to work with the timed vacuum advance which makes the combustion temps at idle on the hot side. If you don't need it then...

Next. question. Do you still have the check valves and air tubes in place?
The check valve will keep the exhaust wher it ought to be if you remove the hoses. However some folks beleive that the air pump helps keep those thin wall tubes from overheating and dying an early death. When the tubes get holes, well..you have a project. I got away with replacing one side without tooo much trouble (after reading a lot of old posts here to prepare). Going to headers is another solution at that point, but you will still have to get the hollow bolts off without breaking them.

[Mud Thrasher]

I already had two that were broke that i was trying to plug up. One came out easy enough. The second one started and then seized up on me. Trying to get it was no good. I tapped it and when i put a bolt in the break it loose the bolt broke off so that solved that problem.

[nograin]

Also check to see if the catalytic converter has an air tube. The air to the cat made it work more efficiently, but if you have no pump, and that tube is open, it may be an exhaust leak.